Affluenza: An American Epidemic

November 6, 2018 - 0 Comments

Affluenza is an epidemic which effects millions of people in the United States. “Until this century 20th, to consume was considered a bad thing” says Jeremy Rifkin an expert on affluenza ( Gross ). The victims of affluenza are consumers who work long hours at a job they hate so they can buy things which they don’t need ( Fight Club ). Like AIDS, affluenza has spread quickly throughout the United States showing no prejudice of race, sex or color. However, unlike AIDS, affluenza is a compulsive addiction to shopping, which can be cured by spending less time consuming and more time enjoying life.

As the majority of parents work longer hours then other parents did in the past to support their families, children are left at home under the supervision of a television set. The television set constantly teaches children how to be good consumers. Advertisements which appear on television are designed to make children feel unloved by their mothers and fathers if they don’t buy them the newest toy, or take them to the most exciting amusement park. Before the age affluenza a child would be considered fortunate if he or she had a bike to ride or a doll to play with. Today, children expect their parents to buy them expensive toys because advertising companies give children the idea that deserve it.

Cote Page 2As children grow into teenagers, they begin to consume more and more and refuse to accept any boundaries on material or physical things ( Gabrels ). Through advertising, Corporations dictate what type of clothing teens should wear, what type of music teens should listen to, and how teens should act. The desire to buy products which are advertised to them is so strong that some teenagers become depressed and disturbed when they don’t have money to buy as many material possessions as their peers. Many other teens sacrifice their education by getting a part-time so they can spend more money on their growing addiction.

Teenagers optimistically look forward to their adult years with ambitious dreams. To their surprise, the dreams of being rich and famous which were offered to them on every commercial break come crashing down as they become adults. If the gap between the rich and the poor continues to increase, future generations will only be able to look forward to poverty. The average employer in the United States now makes about 326 times more then the average employee. ( “The Affluenza’ Epidemic” ). Working a repetitive job, credit debit and unhappiness are some of the other social problems many teenagers will unknowingly have deal with as they enter the workforce. As these teenagers grow into adults and have children of their own, they too will raise their children with the help of television as their parents did. They will be led to believe that they are helping their family relationship by staying at work later and spend less time at home. The effects of affluenza on our environment are also extremely horrifying. As a Cote Page 3nation of consumers we neglect our environment, and believe that our natural resources are inexhaustible. Roughly fifty percent of youth in the United States would rather go shopping then enjoy a hike in the woods ( Willis ). According to Allan Gerald “Our annual generation of total waste…would fill a convoy of garbage trucks half way to the moon” ( “A Bad Case Of Affluenza'” ). Endangered species and global warming does not concern people who are infected with affluenza. What concerns people who are infected with affluenza are celebrity magazines and cable television ( Fight Club ). Many people have found that volunteering to live a simpler life is a cure for affluenza. Although affluenza seems to be dominating our culture, a small but strong movement of people have been calling for a simpler life in the United States. Many people who have volunteered for a simpler life are baby boomers who traded their successful careers in hopes of a chance to try to raise a successful family. These simplistic advocates work about half as much as the average American and live on a thrifty budget ( Gerlat ). The idea of living on a fixed income may sound strange to many people, however, simplistic advocates enjoy spending more time with their children and spouses and less time at work As affluenza continues to dominate American behavior, many family advocates, religious leaders, and political leaders are starting to wonder if advertisements and consumerism will change the family ideals forever. Cote Page 4Works CitedFight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Perf. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. 20th Century Fox, 1999.